In recent years, some novel substances have become commercially available under the generic titles of cyclic olefmic polymers (COP) and cyclic olefinic copolymers (COC). These substances are known for a variety of uses, such as manufacture of optical lenses, packaging of pharmaceuticals, packaging for candies, and others.
Another known use of such polymers, is in manufacturing of bidirectionally oriented polymeric sheets and unidirectionally oriented polymeric sheets, in which the orientation is in the transverse direction (TD). The latter sheets are useful as sleeves for unidirectionally shrinkable packaging of bottles.
Films that were shrinked in the transverse direction and contained at least 60% COC and/or COP were reported to closely follow a bottle's shape without creasing.